Compliments  of 


JOHN  N.  FOSTER, 
Superintendent  of  the  State  Public  Schpg^, 
Coldwater,  Mich. 


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TEN  YEARS 


OF 


M1LD4AV1M  WORK 


IN  MICHIGAN 


Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 

I  stand  to-day  with  uncovered  head  and  unsandled  feet  in'  the 
presence  of  you  veteran  laborers  in  behalf  of  better  methods  in  all  good 
vork.  For  years  many  who  are  present  at  this  meeting  have  sought  to 
present  the  enlightened  sentiments  of  the  present  century  to  all  workers 
among  the  unfortunate  classes.  Whatever  causes  have  contributed  to 
iheir  misfortunes,  the  spirit  of  your  work  has  been  to  develop  plans 
by  which  they  might  be  restored  to  true  citizenship,  and  better  yet,  true 
manhood  and  womanhood. 

I  should  not  have  dared  to  come  before  this  audience  to  suggest 
better  ways,  nor  to  have  presented  theoretically  ideal  plans,  but  would 
greatly  have  preferred  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  -wise  men — not  only  from  the 
Last,  but  from  all  sections  as  well — and  learn  the  ways  that  others  have 
developed  in  these  matters  of  social  science,  so  important  in  their  bear¬ 
ings  upon  the  future  welfare  of  every  .State. 

I  come  only  to  tell  the  story  of  our  work.  Faulty  and  imperfect 
as  it  is,  its  plan  is  so  in  accord  with  the  spirit  of  your  desires,  as  I  un¬ 
derstand  them,  that  I  have  the  more  readily  consented  to  outline  before 
this  conference  its  design  and  results. 

Ten  years  ago  the  “National  Prison  Congress”  held  its  annual 
meeting  in  this  city,  and  throughout  its  sessions  much  importance  was 


2.GOSI 

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attache^  to  tbe  value  of  work  among  children  before  they  had  reached 
the  criminal  stage.  And  it  was  generally  conceded,  by  all  who  dis¬ 
cussed  the  questions  before  that  Congress,  that  preventive  work  offered 
1  the  largest  returns  for  the  outlay,  and  must  supplant,  if  effectual  work 
\  was  to  be  done,  reformatory  agencies. 

rn  the  proceedings  of  this  Congress,  on  pages  590  and  591,  I  find 
a  brief  statement  of  [he  establishment  of  the  «  Michigan  State  Public  J 
School ’’  from  which  I  quote  the  words  of  the  secretary,  Hon.  E.  C. 
Wines,  whose  life  was  ever  associated  with  the  best  possible  efforts  to 
build  up  truer  systems  of  reform,  and  instil  a  nobler  humanity  in  deal¬ 
ing  with  all  conditions  of  misfortune  and  depravity,  and  whose  name 
before  these  conferences  must  ever  awaken  tender  memories.  After 
quoting  a  section  of  the  law,  in  which  the  object  of  the  institution  was 
declared  to  be  to  provide  a  ‘‘temporary  home  only  for  children,  until 
homes  can  be  procured  for  them  in  families” — he  said: 

“  School  is  established  upon  the  family  plan,  with  cottages 
designed  for  thirty  inmates  each.  It  is  a  charity  of  a  novel  kind,  from 
which  the  best  results  may  be  looked  for.  Michigan  seems  to  be  tak- 
1  the  lead  of  hei  sistei  States  in  social  reforms,  and  it  would  not  be 
strange,  as  things  look,  if  she  should  take  precedence  of  all  others  in 
establishing  model  systems  of  criminal  prison  discipline,  and  of  pre¬ 
ventive  and  reformatory  work.  May  she  have  many  imitators  in  her 
good  ways.” 


V 


These  pleasant  and  hopeful  words  were  spoken  three  days  before 
the  first  child  was  received  into  this  novel  institution.  Ana  whatever 
may  have  been  the  hope  of  its  founders,  experience  alone  can  deter¬ 
mine  results. 

The  children  to  be  cared  for  in  this  School  were  to  be  such 
children  as  were  found  in  the  poor-houses  of  the  State,  and  as  are 
still  found  in  poor-houses,  in  such  States  as  have  made  no  other  pro¬ 
vision  tor  poor  children;  many  as  bright  and  lovable  as  are  found  in 
any  home,  many  others  with  inherited  tendencies  and  acquired  habits 
which  made  necessary  special  training  and  thorough  discipline  if  they 
were  ever  to  be  saved,  while  for  some  Divine  grace  seemed  the  only 
hope  for  a  bettered  life.  The  so-called  homes  then  provided  for  the 
dependent  children  have  been  so  frequently  described,  and  are  so  fa¬ 
miliar  to  all  of  you  that  I  will  but  quote  a  word  from  the  report  of  the 
State  Board  of  Charities  and  Corrections  of  Michigan  for  the  year  in 
which  the  School  opened: 

“In  regard  to  the  condition  of  the  children,”  it  said,  “the  most  of 
them  grow  up  entirely  without  education.  Those  who  have  the  ca- 
pa<  ity  to  learn,  and  may  attend  the  district  schools  in  their  vicinity, 
meet  with  obstructions  and  mortifications  Sufficient  to  deter  them  alto- 


gether  from  instruction,  or  to  reduce  their  acquirements  to  so  low  a 
standard  as  hardly  to  be  an  offset  for  the  damage  sustained  in  having 
their  little  hearts  wounded  by  the  taunts  of  wayward  but  more  fortu¬ 
nate  children  who  cannot  fail  to  remind  them  of  their  more  destitute 
condition.  In  one  of  the  county-houses  three  small  children  were- 
found  in  a  desolate  room,  one  perishing  with  fever  sore,  the  other  two 
taking  care  of  the  sick  one — little  angels  of  mercy  working  in  the  mire*. 
Death  seemed  to  be  of  the  party,  and  the  little  drama  should  have  its 
lesson.” 

To  attempt,  to  train  children  in  such  places  was  worse  than  useless,, 
and  it  remained  for  Michigan  to  decide  what  provision  she  would  make 
for  the  three  hundred  then  in  such  places  as  described  above,  who  were 
good  subjects  for  a  true  training  school.  And  without  waiting  to  ascer¬ 
tain  if  some  other  State  would  not  at  some  future  time  develop  a  sys¬ 
tem  more  perfect,  she  at  once  determined  upon  a  course  which  would 
remove  every  worthy,  capable  child  from  surroundings  which  could 
onlv  degrade,  and  place  it  under  influences  which  should  elevate  and 
ennoble. 

Children  are  received  into  this  School,  not  because  they  are  bad 
and  need  restraint,  not  because  they  are  wayward  and  criminal,  but 
solely  because  they  are  not  able  to  support  themselves,  and  have  no 
one  to  support  them.  We  do  not  say  to  a  poor  child,  hungry,  naked 
and  abandoned,  “Go  and  commit  a  crime  and  we  will  then  gladly  re¬ 
ceive  you  into  our  reformatory  institutions,  and  care  for  you.”  Rut 
any  child,  dependent,  either  wholly  or  partially,  upon  the  public  for 
support,  is  admissible.  They  are  formally  received  upon  an  order  of 
the  Probate  Judge,  setting  forth  the  fact  of  their  dependence,  which 
must  also  be  accompanied  by  a  medical -certificate  stating  that  they  are 
of  sound  mind  and  in  good  health. 

'The  School  is  established  upon  the  family  plan,  with  about  thirty 
children  in  each  cottage,  presided  over  by  a  Christian  lady,  who  sus¬ 
tains  to  them  the  relation  of  a  mother,  and  has  much  to  do  with  the 
moral  training,  and  general  management  of  the  family.  They  all  go  to 
a  common  dining-room,  where  the  cottage-manager  attends  to  them 
at  the  table,  devoting  all  her  time  to  their  needs. 

Five  hours  each  day  are  devoted  to  school-work  proper — diaving  a 
graded  school  of  fix  e  departments,  to  which,  in  a  short  time,  will  be 
added  kindergarten  for  the  younger  ones. 

The  ..children  have  regularly  assigned  tasks,  from  the  little  ones, 

'  -five  years  of  age,  who  assist  in  dressing  those  younger  than  themselves, 
to  the  oldest  boys,  who  work  on  the  farm  and  in  the  garden.  Knitting, 
sewing,  telegraphy,  work  in  the  dining-room  and  kitchen,  general  clean¬ 
ing,  bed-making  and  sweeping  are  all  done  by  the  children,  so  far  as 


4 


they  are  able.  Some  deformed  ones  have  been  received  and  taught 
telegraph}',  so  they  are  not  only  self-supporting,  but  are  securing  large 
salaries. 

At  the  institution  all  holidays  are  observed,  and  on  Sundays  the 
children  assemble  in  the  morning  for  an  hour  in  chapel  where  a  teacher 
reads  to  them,  sings  with  them,  and  pleasantly  and  profitably  passes  the 
the  time,  in  the  afternoon  the  regular  Sunday  School  is  held,  and  the 
International  Lessons  are  taught,  as  to  millions  of  other  children 
thoroughout  the  entire  country.  And  to  many  of  these  boys  and  girls 
the  name  of  Jesus  was  never  known  until  heard  in  this  institution  the 
out-growth  of  the  Christian  civilization  of  the  present  century. 

The  present  capacity  of  the  School  is  three  hundred  and  thirty, 
and  although  in  1874  it  opened  with  room  for  but  one  hundred  and 
fifty  with  three  hundred  seeking  admission,  during  the  past  year  every 
dependent  child  of  Michigan,  needing  its  care,  has  been  received. 

I  realize  that  the  great  question  in  which  you  are  most  interested 
is — what  has  become  of  all  the  children  who  have  been  received  since 
its  opening?  * 

The  idea  of  home  life  has  pervaded  every  step  of  progress  in  the 
establishment  and  working  of  this  School.  Even  the  Joint  Committee 
of  the  Senate  and  House,  of  which  Hon.  C.  D.  Randall  was  chairman, 
in  the  Legislature  of  1871,  in  submitting  their  report  recommending  the 
passage  of  the  bid  for  the  establishment  of  the  State  Public  School, 
said:  “In  view  of  these  facts,  of  the  sad  condition  of  these  helpless  chil¬ 
dren,  your  committee  earnestly  and  unanimously  recommend  the  pas¬ 
sage  of  the  accompanying  bill  by  which  the  State  will  become  the 
guardian  of  these  children,  and  taking  them  as  wards  into  its  control, 
will  provide  suitable  homes  in  good  families,  and,  until  that  can  be 
done,  will  maintain  and  educate  them  in  the  State  Public  School. 
While  recommending  this  course,  your  committee  wish  it  distinctly  un¬ 
derstood  that  it  does  not  recommend  this  for  a  permanent,  but  a  tem¬ 
porary  home  for  these  children.  That  the  children,  and  any  one  in¬ 
terested  in  their  behalf  should  only  recognize  the  proposed  establish¬ 
ment  as  a  temporary  house  of  refuge,  while  the  child  is  on  its  way  to 
its  natural  place  in  the  family.” 

At  a  meeting  of  the  American  Social  Science  Association  in  De¬ 
troit,  May,  1875,  Gov.  John  J.  Bagley  said:  * 

“The  institution  which  was  most  recently  established  and  which  is, 
to  my  mind,  the  most  beneficent  and  the  grandest  work  the  State  has 
ever  done,  is  the  State  Public  School  at  Coldwater.  There  we  have  at 
present  one  hundred  and  seventy -five  little  children  who  have  no  home 
save  that  the  State  affords  them,  whose  hearts  are  as  pure  and  whose 


5 


minds  as  capable  as  those  whose  lot  is  a  far  different  one.  These  chil¬ 
dren  we  have  surrounded  with  everything  pertaining  to  a  home,  save 
parental  love,  and  we  are  teaching  them  how  to  grow  up  to  be  true 
men  and  women  and  good  and  profitable  citizens.  We  are  satisfied 
with  the  experiment,  and  mean  to  make  the  institution  a  permanency. 
It  is  one  to  whose  inmates  the  State  may  say:  ‘This  is  your  home; 
here  you  have  somebody  to  care  for  you,  to  work  for  you,  to  clothe 
you,  and  to  make  you  men  and  women.’ 

“It  is  something  to  be  lamented  that  it  is,  after  all,  an  institution- 
The  State  may  do  everything  for  these  children  in  its  power,  still  it  is 
not  a  home,  as  we  know  home.  The  heart  is  wanting,  and  it  cannot 
be  supplied  artificially.  This  home,  as  they  call  it,  is  after  all  only  a 
purgatory — a  half  vyay  house  between  hell — or  the  count}  poor-house 
— and  heaven,  or  a  happy  home. 

“What  a  noble  work  for  a  State  to  engage  in;  reaching  out  a  hand, 
not  heavy  and  restraining,  clothed  in  iron  mail,  but  gentle  and  with 
tender  clasp  folding  in  its  arms  these  innocents,  taking  the  place  of 
their  fathers  and  mothers,  and  holding  them  out  to  its  citizens  as  their 
brothers  and  sisters!” 

So  we  feel  now,  after  ten  years’  work,  that  the  home  is  the  true 
place  for  the  proper  training  of  children.  The  homeless  man  or  woman 
of  mature  years  is  in  a  dangerous  condition;  temptations  beset  the  man 
without  a  home  that  never  come  near  the  home  life;  the  charm  of  the 
home-circle  lost  or  unknown  makes  man  weak  and  helpless,  however 
much  he  may  strive  to  convince  himself  of  his  vigor  and  Strength- 
Character  can  only  be  developed  in  soil  adapted  to  it.  The  true  home 
furnishes  just  those  surroundings  that  enable  men’s  best  and  highest 
attributes  to  most  perfectly  develop.  If  this  be  true  for  mature  men 
and  women,  what  must  be  the  condition  of  children?  No  habits  yet 
formed;  no  true  sense  of  duty  to  either  God  or  man  developed,  but 
buffeted  by  every  storm  and  carried  with  every  breeze  into  other  and 
more  dangerous  surroundings,  it  is  simph  wonderful  that  any  child 
without  a  home  can  ever  be  kept  from  moral  bankruptcy. 

This,  then,  being  the  spirit  of  the  School,  it  became  at  once  im¬ 
portant  to  have  agencies  established  to  secure  homes  and  properly  su¬ 
pervise  and  look  after  the  children  when  placed  out. 

Under  the  laws  of  Michigan  the  Governor  may  appoint  an  agent 
of  the  State  Board  of  Charities  and  Corrections,  who,  besides  having 
the  care  of  juvenile  offenders,  is  required  to  seek  homes  for  the  chil¬ 
dren  of  the  State  School,  and  investigate  all  applications  for  children, 
and  no  child  can  be  placed  in  a  home  in  any  county  unless  the  county 
agent  shall  certify  that  the  applicant  is  a  proper  person  to  have  the 
care  and  training  of  such  child;  that  he  has  a  good  home,  is  a  person 
of  good  moral  character,  is  temperate,  does  not  sell  intoxicating 
liquors  as  a  beverage,  and  that  he  believes  he  will  provide  for  and  edli- 


^  cate  the  child,  and  otherwise  faithfully  execute  the  contract  of  indent¬ 
ure. 

Having  an  application  thus  approved,  a  child  may  be  taken  from 
the  School  When  so  taken,  the  Superintendent,  in  behalf  of  the 
Board- of  Control,  enters  into  a  contract  of  indenture,  requiring  proper 
.  clothing  and  food,  attendance  at  school,  opportunity  to  attend  public 
I  religious  worship,  and  at  majority  to  pay  for  the  benefit  of  the  child  a 
specified  sum  of  money,  or  a  pro  rata  amount  for  the  time  of  indenture 

I  provided  he  does  not  remain  the  full  time. 

The  contract  may  be  annulled  by  the  Board  of  Control  whenever 
the  best  interests  of  the  child  require  it.  The  contract  does  not  be¬ 
come  operative  until  the  expiration  of  sixty  days,  giving,  a  period  of 
trial;  so  it  will  be  seen  that  the  first  steps  are  taken  carefully.  The  child 

iis  not  placed  in  a  home,  and  investigations  made  afterwards,  but  the 
most  careful,  painstaking  methods  adopted  to  prevent  its  being  placed 
in  an  improper  home,  and  many  applications  in  all  sections  of  the 
State  are  rejected. 

Having  been  placed  in  the  home,  the  question  of  its  remaining, 
the  kind  of  training  received,  abuses  that  may  grow  up — and  how  pre¬ 
vented—  removals,  and  finally  the  character  of  the  men  and  women  pro¬ 
duced,  become  at  once  interesting  and  important  questions  for  study. 

The  Board  of  Control  of  this  institution  had  become  so  impressed 
with  the  importance  of  ascertaining  more  definitely  if  possible,  the  con¬ 
dition  of  all  children  who  had  gone  out  from  the  School,  that  they 
might  determine  what  errors  in  the  system  were  existing,  and  perhaps 
have  remedies  suggested,  that  about  a  year  ago  the  writer  was  appointed 
Visiting  Agent,  and  since  March  last  has  traveled  over  the  greater  por¬ 
tion  of  the  State,  visiting  from  house  to  house  where  children  were 
placed,  going  as  a  stranger  to  most  of  them,  at  an  unannounced  time, 
and  has  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  home-life  of  more  indentured 
children  than  usually  falls  to  the  lot  of  men  who  are  engaged  in  this 
work.  And  I  feel  that  so  far  as  the  work  in  Michigan  is  concerned,  I 
I  can  speak  more  intelligently  of  its  results  from  this  peculiar  and 
profitable  experience.  I  perhaps  can  do  no  better  than  to  reproduce 
in  this  brief  paper  the  substance  of  an  official  report  recently  made  upon 
the  subject  of  these  visits,  omitting  most  of  the  tabulated  statistics  as 
being  of  but  little  interest  upon  this  occasion. 

Since  the  opening  of  the  School,  in  May,  1874,  to  the  close  of  thevl 
I  year  ending  September  30.  1884,  there  had  been  received  into  the 
l  School  1672  children.  Of  these  349  were  under  six  years  of  age,  604 
from  six  to  nine,  561  from  nine  to  twelve,  and  158  were  over  twelve 
years  of  age.  About  70  per  cent,  were  from  three  to  ten  years  of  age, 


a  period  of  great  helplessness,  and  needing,  if  ever,  the  watchful  care 
of  their  true  parents,  the  State,  or  such  adopted  parents  as  could  be 
provided;  1120  were  boys  and  552  girls;  1602  were  white,  60  black, 
and  10  Indians;  182  were  orphans,  647  were  half-orphans,  and  843 
had  both  parents  living;  702  came  from  poor  s  These  ^Ujly 

present  conditions  of  childhood  so  unfortunate  as  to  a(t  diA<je  commend’ 
them  to  our  sympathy,  and  we  wonder  if  i^lie'  possibly  \t6  saVe  to  use¬ 
ful  and  honorable  manhood  and  womanhood  any  large  proportion  of 
those  who  have  so  many  adverse  circumstances  to  contend  against. 
And  our  interest  in  the  final  outcome  of  the  work  increases  as  we  learn 
more  of  their  condition. 

The  guardianship  of  the  Board  of  Control  ceases  whenever  the 
child  becomes  of  age,  is  adopted  by  order  of  the  Probate  Court,  dies, 
is  returned  to  its  county,  or  when  a  girl  is  married,  so  that  all  these 
children  remain  wards  of  the  State  until  one  of  these  circumstances 
occur. 


September  30  last  the  record  stood  as  follows: 


Whole  ntlmber  received 
Returned  to  counties.  .  . 

Died  .  .  .  . . 

Adopted . 

Became  of  age  . 

Married  . 

On  trial . 

In  homes . 

In  the  school . 


1672 

209 

5* 

9S 
.  68 

»4 

56 

S94 

278 


Thus  have  1  briefly  accounted  for.  all  the  children  received,  and 
will  now  attempt  to  give  more -in  detail  their  present  condition. 

The  history  Of  the  209  returned  to  their  counties  is  varied.  Many 
of  them  were  unfit  subjects  for  the  School — diseased,  crippled,  some 
criminal,  others  without  sufficient  mental. force  to  -be  trained  into  any 
thing  that  would  justify  their  being  placed  in  homes  Others  were  re¬ 
turned  as  a  mere  formality,  having  already  become  self-supporting  and 
no  longer  needing  the  care  or  guardianship  of  the  State.  Of  this  num¬ 
ber  I  gather  the  following  information:  5  1.  are  still  in  county  houses, 
unfit  for  homes  and  incapable  of  self-support  on  account  of  being 
either  diseased  or  feeble-minded;  34  are  in  the  penal,  institutions  of 
Michigan  and  other  States:  115  are  self-supporting  young  men  and 
women  caring  for  themselves,  so  that  they  are  no  longer  a  burden 
either  upon  their  counties  or  the  State;  4  have  died  and  are  beyond 
the  need  of  human  care;  5  are  known  to  be  leading  abandoned  lives. 

Of  the  whole  number  58  have  passed  beyond  the  need  of  care 
from  either  the  State  or  the*best  homes  possible  to  provide,  and  are 
now,  we  trust,  sheltered  in  the  arms  and  made  happy  in  the  love  of  our 


Heavenly  Father,  who  cares  for  them,  and  has  long  since  “wiped  away 
all  tears  from  their  eyes.” 

Of  the  95  adopted  all  but  two  are  well  situated  and  doing  well. 
Some  have  come  into  possession  of  property,  others  are  doing  the 
same  as  other  children  in  the  average  homes  of  an  intelligent  State. 

The  L4  girlfenvho  are  married  are  as  well  situated  as  are  generally 
the  wives  of  laboring  men,  and  those  visited  seemed  very  happy.  One 
was  a  wild,  rude  girl  a  few  years  ago,  reckless  and  almost  hopelessly  a 
street  girl.  Her  mother  having  died  since  her  marriage,  she  has  taken 
a  younger  brother  and  sister  and  cares  for  them  in  her  own  home  as  a 
true  mother. 

Of  the  68  who  have  become  of  age,  all  are  self-supporting  and  do¬ 
ing  well. 

Fifty-six  are  now  in  homes  on  trial,  and  most  of  them  will  remain 
to  be  fully  indentured. 

Eight  hundred  and  ninety  four  children  have  been  placed  in  homes 
that  have  not  been  accounted  for  in  preceding  pages,  and  much  inter¬ 
est  centers  in  the  result  of  this  work.  The  institution  having  been 
founded  for  the  express  purpose  of  placing  children  in  homes  and 
properly  looking  after  them  when  so  placed,  and  the  management  of  it 
believing  the  original  idea  to  be  the  true  one,  has  constantly 
sought  to  perfect  this  department  of  its  work,  and  ascertain  the  prac¬ 
ticability  of  placing  them  in  homes  sufficiently  fast  to  keep  the  size  of 
the  School  within  reasonable  bounds. 

We  have  tried  not  to  forget  that  such  institutions  are  established, 
because  by  circumstances  over  which  the  inmates  have  no  control,  their 
home-life  has  been  destroyed.  They  are,  by  force  of  these  circum¬ 
stances,  out  of  their  normal  condition,  and  the  sooner  they  can  be 
restored  to  that  condition,  or  most  nearly  so,  the  better  for  the  child. 

It  is  urged,  many  times,  that  the  homes  in  which  children  are 
placed  may  be  bad  ones,  that  the  guardians  only  desire  the  children  for 
servants,  that  they  will  not  send  them  to  school,  that  they  may  not 
properly  clothe  them,  that  they  may  not  be  taught  to  properly  ob¬ 
serve  the  Sabbath,  and  that  many  other  things  may  not  be  right. 
True,  such  dangers  beset  the  work,  and  render  it  highly  import¬ 
ant  that  there  should  ‘be  a  reserve  power  in  the  contract  of  indenture, 
by  which  the  Board  may  at  once  remove  the  child  from  such  a  home. 
For  this  the  law  wisely  provides,  and  we  exercise  that  power,  whenever 
such  cases  are  known.  The  important  thing  is  to  have  such  efficient 
supervision,  and  watchfulness  over  each  child  that  we  may  constantly 
have  knowledge  of  such  homes  and  remove  the  child  at  once. 

To  place  children  in  homes  without  constantly  looking  after 


their  welfare,  and  knowing  what  their  condition  is,  is  a  barbarism  wholly 
unworthy  this  Christian  age,  which  is  developing  so  much  intelligent 
thought  upon  this  most  important  branch  of  social  science — child- 
saving  work. 

It  seems  to  me  we  will  do  welt  to  remember  that  in  most  states  the 
laws  make  it  easy  for  children  to  find  entrance  to  institutions — indeed, 
it  is  not  at  all  uncommon  for  parents  even  to  seek  to  impose  upon  the 
State  the  responsibility  for  the  care  and  training  of  children  which 
ought  to  be  properly  done  at  home.  And  instead  of  seeking  to  multi¬ 
ply  institutions,  or  enlarge  those  already  existing,* we  should  strive  to 
lessen  these  burdens  upon  the  people,  and  reduce  the  number  of  public 
dependents  to  a  minimum — having  in  view  constantly,  ot  course,  the 
real  good  of  the  child. 

There  are  in  Michigan  three  State  Institutions  having  in  hand  the 
care  of  children:  the  Reform  School,  for  boys,  which  takes  them  be¬ 
tween  the  ages  of  ten  and  sixteen,  and  may  keep  them  till  eighteen; 
the  Industrial  School,  for  girls,  which  takes  them  between  the  ages  of 
seven  and  seventeen,  and  may  keep  them  till  twenty-one;  the  State 
Public  School,  which  takes  them  between  the  ages  of  three  and  twelve, 
and  has  the  responsibility  of  their  care  until  of  age. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  State  prov  ides  for  girls  for  a  period  cover¬ 
ing  eighteen  years,  and  for  boys  fifteen;  thus  making  it  possible  for 
children,  from  three  years  of  age  until  majority  is  attained,  to  receive 
all  their  training  in  public  institutions  at  ‘public  expense.  Nearly 
all  her  sister  States  have  made  provision  for  the  care  of  their  children 
in  some  way,  for  about  the  same  period  of  time,  and  it  remains  for  those 
having  such  work  in  charge  to  see  how  thoroughly  they  may  reduce 
the  time  of  detention  and  care  by  the  State  to  its  least  period,  lest  we 
rear  a  class  who  shall*  ever  after  regard  the  State  as  its  rightful 
provider,  and  increase,  rather  than  diminish,  public  dependents. 

The  statements  presented  here  are  the  results  of  the  most  careful 
and  thorough  visits  to  the  children  or  in  their  neighborhood,  by  my¬ 
self  or  the  County  Agent,  and  in  a  majority  of  cases,  three  reports  have 
been  received,  one  from  the  guardian,  one  from  the  County  Agent,  and 
one  the  result  of  my  own  visits;  all  of  these  since  the  first  of  last  Janu¬ 
ary.  Six  hundred  and  eighty-five  are  now  in  homes  on  indenture.  Of 
these,  580  are  doing  well,  giving  satisfaction,  and  constitute  parts  of  so 
many  families,  in  the  family  sense;  80  are  not  doing  so  well— are  doing 
fairly  well — are  somewhat  discontented  and  lack  interest,  but  are  still 
remaining  in  their  homes,  and  most  of  them  will  stay,  grow  better,  and 
become  adjusted  to  their  home  relations.  Twenty-five  are  still  in  the 
homes  in  which  they  were  placed,  but  are  doing  poorly.  They  will 


10 


soon  make  a  radical  change  for  the  better  or  drift  away.  One  hundred 
and  ninety-one  are  in  homes — not  on  indenture.  They  have  either 
left  the  parties  to  whom  they  were  indentured,  and  are  self-supporting  £ 
in  the  neighborhood,  or  are  with  their  own  parents  or  other  relatives, 
whose  improved  circumstances  enable  them  to  care  for  their  children. 
Many  of  those  who  have  left  guardians  have  done  so  by  consent,  and 
the  most  pleasant  relations  exist;  some  have  even  paid  for  theft*  time 
until  of  age.  Of  these  160  are  doing  well,  18  fairly  well  and  13  poorly. 

Eighteen  have  not  been  heard  from  during  the  past  year.  Of 
these,  ten  havegone  with  guardians  out  of  the  State,  and  their  residence 
is  unknown,  but  at  last  reports  thev  were  doing  well.  Six  had  left 
guardians,  and  nothing  is  known  of  them,  but  at  last  reports  they  were 
doing  badly.  The  other  two  were  doing  well  when  last  heard  from. 

As  mentioned  before,  in  case  of  children  returned  to  counties, 
adopted,  died,  married  or  become  ot  age,  the  guardianship  of  the 
School  ceases.  There  have  been  444  such  cases.  Of  these  92  are 
either  leading  criminal  lives,  or  being  supported  bv  the  county  in  which 
they  live,  or  are  living  abandoned  and  vile  lives.  Four  are  dead,  and 
the  remaining  348  are  either  self-supporting,  or  in  homes  being  cared 
for,  no  longer  burdens  upon  the  public. 

The  other  children  gone  from  the  School  are  distributed  as  follows:  . 


Present  whereabouts  and  condition  unknown, . .  18 

In  homes  on  indenture, . 685 

In  homes  not  on  indenture, . 191 

In  homes  on  trial, .  56 

Total, . . 950 


Making  950  wards  of  the  School  now  in  homes,  of  whom  808  are 
doing  well,  98  fairly  well,  and  44  are  doing  poorly. 

One  thousand  three  hundred  and  ninefy-four  children  have  left 
the  School  since  its  organization,  of  which  number  96  are  public  de- 
'  pendents,  and  1298  are  either  self-supporting,  or  being  cared  for  by 
self-supporting  citizens,  and  are  in  no  sense,  either  wholly  or  partially, 
dependent  upon  the  public. 

Of  all  the  children  who  have  gone  from  the  School,  but  seven  per 
cent,  have  become  public  charges,  while  93  per  cent,  have  been  saved 
from  public  dependence,  and  very  largely  from  perpetuating  pauper 
and  criminal  classes. 

Is  it  unsafe  to  assume  that  these  figures  would  have  been  reversed, 
„ _ h ad  these  children  been  left  uncared  for  by  the  State? 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  growth  of  the  work  of  placing  children. 
The  first  full  year  of  its  history,  69  children  were  placed  out:  the  second 
year  the  same,  and  not  until  the  fifth  year  did  the  number  reach  too. 


11 


* 


In  1880,  140  children  were  indentured,  which  was  the  largest  number 
•until  the  year  just  ended,  when  220  were  indentured,  42  were  adopted, 
and  56  are  now  on  trial,  making  318  placed  in  homes  during  the  past 
year,  or,  while  72  per  cent,  more  children  were  received  during  the 
past  year  than  ever  before  in  the  history  of  the  School,  86  per  cent, 
more  have  been  placed  out  by  indenture  and  adoption  than  ever 
before,  making  it  seem  at  present  that  the  opportunity  to  place 
children  in  desirable  homes  exceeds  the  demand  of  needy  children  for 
the  advantages  of  the  School;  which,  if  proven  true  for  the  next  de¬ 
cade,  will  materially  lessen  the  cost  of  maintaining  dependent  children 
in  Michigan; 

The  question  seems  to  be  practically  settled — that  children  can,  at 
present,  be  placed  in  homes  as  rapidly  as  they  seek  admission  to  the 
Sch'ooL  If  this  is  true,  a  few  questions  naturally  present  themselves  to 
all  who  are  interested  in  the  work:  Will  this  condition  be  likely  to 
continue,  or  will  the  homes  soon  be  so  supplied  as  to  finally  .cripple  the 
work?  Are  there  not  seasons  of  the  year  unfavorable  to  the  work  of 
placing  children,  so  that  at  times,  when  most  needed,  the  institution 
will  become  over-crowded  and  children  have  to  be  refused  admission? 
Do  they  stay  placed,  or  must  the)-  be  constantly  changed?  And  most 
of  all — Are  the  homes  of  such  a  character  as  to  justify  the  School  in 
placing  the  children  in  them,  or  would  they  be  better  off  in  the  institu¬ 
tion?  I  will  attempt  briefly  to  answer  these  questions  in  the  order  given. 

The  people  of  Michigan  are  largely  engaged  in  Agriculture,  an 
employment  which  affords  the  best  possible  surroundings  for  the  class 
of  children  with  whom  we  deal.  It  has  an  area  of  56,451  square  miles, 
with  a  population  of  more  than  1,800,000.  Most  of  the  children  so  far 
placed  have  been  placed  in  the  more  populous  counties  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  State.  For  example,  924  of  the  1147  children  indentured 
were  placed  in  26  counties,  while  in  the  remaining  52  counties,  222  have 
been  placed.  In  some  counties  one  child  was  placed  to  every  203  of  the, 
population.  Were  the  same  ratio  to  be  placed  in  all  the  agricultural  por¬ 
tions  of  the  State,  it  would  take  more  than  6,000  children,  which  at  the 
rate  they  have  been  received  since  the  School  opened,  would  require 
about  40  years  to  supply.  A  societv  in  Boston  recently  placed  in  two 
counties,  one  on  either  side  of  the  city  in  which  the  State  School  is  lo¬ 
cated,  120  children  in  three  days. 

I  need  not  give  further  illustrations  of  the  possibilities  of  placing 
children  in  the  State  I  am  representing.  I  have  no  doubt  whatever 
that  there  are  plenty  of  good  homes  in  Michigan  for  all  her  worthy 
dependent  children. 

In  regard  to  the  seasons  best  adapted  to  placing  children,  it  does 


* 


not  seem  at  all  unreasonable  that  during  the  spring  and  summer  more 
children  should  be  sought  than  during  the  fall  and  winter.  Vet  this 
depends  largely  upon  circumstances.  If  they  are  desired  to  work  on 
the  farm,  the  spring  and  summer  give  the  advantage  to  the  guardian  of 
having  the  child  on  trial  when  it  will  easily  pay  for  the  trouble  at  once, 
while  if  taken  in  the  winter  it  can  only  attend  school.  Those  per¬ 
sons  desiring  children  to  give  them  true  homes,  in  the  best  sense,  re¬ 
gardless  of  their  working  qualities,  are  not  governed  bv  times  or  sea¬ 
sons.  Previous  to  the  past  year,  45  per  cent,  of  all  children  placed 
went  out  during  the  months  of  March,  April,  May  and  June,  and  during 
the  past  year  40  per  cent,  were  placed  during  the  months  of  December. 
January,  February  and  March,  while  one-sixth  of  all  indentured  during 
the  past  year  went  out  in  December.  Tike  all  other  work,  more  de¬ 
pends  upon  the  efficiency  of  the  system  employed  and  the  faithfulness 
and  earnestness  of  the  workers  than  upon  any  other  cause.  During  the 
last  fall  and  winter,  more  children  were  placed  out  than  were  received, 
leading  me  to  think  that  we  need  not  anticipate  seasons  of  such  over¬ 
flowing  as  will  necessitate  a  turning  away  of  any  needy  child. 

The  question  as  to  whether  the  children  stay  is  frequently  asked, 
and  my  only  reply  can  be  the  history  of  our  work  so  far. 

The  following  statement  will  best  present  the  subject: 


Number  of  Children  indentured  once .  7S0 

Number  of  Children  indentured  twice  .  247 

Number  of  Children  indentured  three  times .  80 

Number  of  Children  indentured  four  times .  26 

Number  of  Children  indentured  five  times .  S 

Number  of  Children  indentured  six  times  . .  5 

Number  of  Children  indentured  seven  times.  .  .  , .  1 

Whole  number  indentured .  1147 


Sixty-eight  per  cent,  of  all  Children  indentured  have  been  inden¬ 
tured  but  once,  and  90  per  cent,  have  been  indentured  not  exceeding 
twice.  There  are  so  many  causes  leading  to  a  child’s  losing  its  home,  that 
one  re-indenture  for  each  child  might  not  count  against  it.  The  death 
of  either  the  adopted  father  or  mother  would,  in  most  cases,  so  change 
the  family  as  to  break  up  the  home  for  the  child.  Domestic  trouble 
arises  sometimes,  to  destroy  the  home  life.  The  return  of  married 
children  to  the  homestead,  with  their  own  families,  frequently  results  in 
the  child  not  being  wanted.  In  all  these  cases  it  must  either  be 
left  to  care  for  itself  or  be  taken  back  to  the  School,  and  in 
ti'me  re  indentured.  The  policy  of  this  School  is  to  have  none  of  its 
wards  uncared-for.  and  no  matter  what  the  cause  of  return,  it  is  made 
easy  for  the  child  to  come  to  its  ‘'State  home,”  when  all  others  fail. 
Our  object  is  to  save  not  seat  ter. 


A  child  may  be  indentured  more  than  twice  and  still  be  blameless, 
but  more  frequent  indentures  show  a  troublesome  child,  and  is  a  bad 
indication.  But  with  some  experience  in  transferring  and  placing  chil¬ 
dren.  I  feel  like  saying, “  Never  despair  ”  There  is  a  fitting  niche  for 
every  1  Hvinely-wrought  statue,  no  matter  how  much  soiled  and  bruised 
it  may  have  been  by  its  rough  contact  with  life. 

The  system  of  supervision  now  in  practice,  by  both  County  and 
State  Agents,  contributes  much,  I  think,  toward  preventing  more  fre¬ 
quent  changes.  The  examination  regarding  the  home  before  placing 
the  child  lays  a  good  foundation.  A  visit  at  least  once  each  year  by 
the  County  Agent  keeps  both  guardian  and  ward  assured  that  the  rights 
and  interests  of  each  will  be  carefuly  guarded.  And  that  interference  of 
outside  parties,  so  baleful  in  destroying  harmonious  relations  between 
guardian  and  child,  is  less  frequent  in  counties  having  the  most  careful 
supervision, 

Then,  the  more  recent  addition  to  the  system  of  supervision,  of 
sending  an  officer  directly  from  the  School  to  visit  the  children,  hear 
their  stories  of  good,  indifferent  or  bad  treatment,  encourage  those  who 
need  it,  advise  with  them  as  to  the  advantages  to  be  gained  by  honor¬ 
ably  living  up  to  the  conditions  imposed  upon  them  by  their  inden¬ 
tures,  and  to  cause  them  to  feel  that  after  all,  we  did  not  simply  desire 
to  be  rid  of  them,  but  expected,  after  placing  them  in  homes,  to  be 
their  fathers  and  mothers,  in  so  far  as  we  can  sustain  so  tender  rela¬ 
tions.  It  would  also  lead  guardians  to  consider  more  thoughtfully  their 
contract  obligations  to  the  child,  and  realize  that  the  State  was  doing 
something  more  than  simply  sending  out  children  upon  a  contract  at 
once  formal  and  meaningless.  Those  who  were  doing  their  full  duty 
to  the  child,  would  welcome  the  officer  of  the  School,  as  a  friend,  while 
those  who  were  finding  excuses  for  neglect  would  be  urged  to  greater 
faith fulness,  and  would  feel  a  new  and  truer  interest  in  the  child  whom 
they  had  heretofore  felt  was  a  person  of  interest  to  no  one. 

The  work  planned  for  the  Visiting  Agent  is  not  with  boys  and  girls 
m  an  institution  surrounded  with  all  the  necessaries  of  life,  and  watched 
on  every  side  that  they  go  not  astray,  but  with  the  larger  family  of 
nearly  1200  boys  and  girls,  placed,  each  one  under  circumstances  differ¬ 
ent  from  the  others,  all  over  a  great  State,  living  with  other  boys  and 
girls,  attending  the  public  schools,  working  in  the  shops  and  houses, 
subjected  to  the  same  temptations  that  other  children  are,  with  the 
greater  danger  of  being  conscious  that  they  are  children  of  the  State 
father  than  of  the  adopted  fathers  and  mothers  with  whom  they  live. 
)t  embodies  gaining  positive  and  full  information  regarding  every 
child  that  has  gone  out,  learning  how  it  is  treated  in  its  home:  and 


14 


how  doing,  if  caring  for  itself,  reporting  all  cases  of  improper  treat¬ 
ment,  if  any  are  found;  encourging  both  guardian  and  child;  urging  to 
greater  patience  and  more  faithful  work;  inspiring,  if  possible,  with 
better  motives,  those  who  are  becoming  wayward  and  restless  under 
the  restraints  of  indenture;  meeting  county  officials,  who  have  some¬ 
thing  to  do  with  caring  for  the  children,  thus  increasing  acquaintance 
and  kindling  greater  zeal  in  the  work. 

In  addition  to  his  duty  as  County  visiting  officer  the  County  Agent 
attends  to  all  cases  of  arrest  of  children  in  his  county  and  has  ad¬ 
visory  power- similar  to  that  imposed  upon  the  State  Visiting  Agent  in 
Massachusetts.  The  Visiting  Agent  of  the  State  School  is  entirely  un¬ 
trammeled  so  far  as  the  criminal  class  is  concerned,  and  only  deals  with 
the  wards  of  the  School. 

This  system  of  supervision,  combining  both  local  and  State  visita¬ 
tion,  seems  worthy  of  the  consideration  of  our  sister  States,  and  be¬ 
lieving  that  any  plan  of  placing  out  children  that  ignores  constant  and 
efficient  supervision,  to  be  radically  wrong,  our  system  is  briefly  given. 

I  could  not  disguise,  if  I  would,  and  1  would  magnify,  rather  than 
disguise,  the  fact  that  securing  seemingly  good  homes,  and  having  ex¬ 
cellent  supervision,  do  not,  after  all.  make  men  and  women  of  the  chil¬ 
dren  placed  out.  The  home  does  the  work. 

“  Live  as  long  as  you  may,  the  first  twenty  years  is  the  largest  half 
of  your  life,”  said  Southey. 

And  if  these  first  twenty  years  are  wrong  a  whole  life  is  blighted, 
if  not  wholly  wrecked.  It  is  not  surprising  that  the  question  as  to  the 
character  of  the  homes  comes  to  the  front  constantly  as  the  most  im¬ 
portant  of  all  possible  questions. 

1  very  much  wish  all  could  see  these  homes  as  I  have  seen  them 
and  notice  the  patience  of  guardians  with  wayward  children,  many  of 
whom  never  understood' the  nature  of  kindness  in  their  home  treatment, 
and  always  expected  abuse  instead  of  humanity,  and  had  very  early 
learned  to  distrust  everybody; — see  also  the  kindly  interest  all  the  time 
felt  in  doing  whatever  would  promote  their  welfare,  and  feeling  a  keen 
pain  at  every  wrong  act  on  the  part  of  the  child.  Many  also  permit 
the  child  to  exercise  its  judgment  when  getting  old  enough  to  care  for 
itself,  and  if  it  wishes,  work  out  among  the  farm  neighbors,  and  be  at 
home  Sundays,  and  live  as  an  own  child  would  do,  under  similar  circum¬ 
stances.  I  find  our  children  in  the  High  Schools  ol  the  State,  pursuing  a 
classical  course,  preparingfor  the  University, — graduating  in  other  High 
Schools,  and  at  once  engaging  in  active  work; — others  teaching,-  com¬ 
manding  the  respect  of  the  community,  and -having  a  strong  hold  upon 
the  affections  of  their  pupils. 


I 


c 


Young  men  as  well,  in  machine  shops,  on  the  farms,  and  in  other 
places  of  work.  And  when  their  parents  are  inquired  for,  they  do  not 
think  to  recall  any  but  their  adopted  ones.  These  have  made  the  only 
impressions  that  are  lasting.  Indeed  it  has  not  been  infrequent  for 
children  to  ask  me  to  be  sure  and  not  let  their  father  or  mother  know 
their  whereabouts,  lest  they  might  try  to  get  them  away. 

In  one  public  school,  lately  I  found  ten  boys  and  girls,  once  inmates 
of  the  State  Scl\ool,  all  happy,  and  mingling  with  other  boys  and  girls, 
seemingly  as  full  of  life  and  glee  as  any  there,  and  occupying  honora¬ 
ble  places  in  their  classes. 

Some  are  more  common-place  homes  than  those  mentioned. 
Kind-hearted,  well-meaning  people,  in  comfortable  circumstances,  de¬ 
siring  a  child  to  help  “mind”  the  baby,  run  errands,  prepare  vegeta¬ 
bles,  etc.,  allow  the  children  to  go  more  carelessly  dressed,  and  not 
always  as  “clean  of  face”  as.  might  seem  orthodox,  yet  they  are  trained 
in  good  ways,  are  sent  to  school,  are  treated  in  every  way  as  members 
of  the  family  in  which  they  live,  are  taught  to  work,  and  are  really  in 
good  homes;  and  it  adapted  to  the  home  are  more  happy  than  they 
would  have  been  in  one  of  liner  mold. 

I  regret  to  say  that  there  are  exceptions  to  both  these  classes. 
There  are  men  and  women,  without  any  apparent  touch  of  humanity 
in  their  make  up.  They  take  a  child  simply  with  reference  to  its  com¬ 
mercial  value.  If  it  is  strong  and  healthy,  and  can  do  a  large  amount 
of  work,  they  count  it  a  good  one.  They  send  it  to  school  only  as 
they  must,  to  conform  to  the  conditions  of  the  indenture,  and  the  gen¬ 
eral  treatment  isuhjus.t  and  inhuman.  Whenever  such  cases  are  found 
the  child  is  promptly  and  unconditionally  removed. 

There  are,  also,  many  persons  taking  children  who  mean  well,  but 
have  long  since  forgotten  that  they  were  once  children.  Every  child¬ 
ish  carelessness  or  wrong  act  is  greatly  magnified,  and  the  child  soon 
becomes  impressed  with  the  idea  that  it  is  bad,  and  cannot  recover 
from  the  consequences  of  its  conduct,  so  it  goes  on  from  bad  to  worse 
until  hopelessly  lost. 

Then  some  must  necessarily  be  divorced  on  account  of  “incom¬ 
patibility  of  disposition.”  The  child  gets  into  the  wrong  home.  Some 
other  child  would  be  well  cared  for,  but  the  one  selected  creates  an 
unpleasant  impression,  and  the  guardian  never  can  see  any  good  in  it. 
And  the  child,  after  struggling  for  a  while  against  an  adverse  late,  be- 
Icomes  discouraged  and  is  only  too  glad  tor  a  change.  And  not  intre- 
.  quently  the  second  home  proves  entirely  satisfactory  to  all  .parties. 

Upon  the  whole  the  great  mass  of  guardians  strive  to  advance  the 
best  interests  of  the  child  and  be  patient  with  its  faults  and  have  a  per- 


sonal  interest  in  its  welfare,  even  doing  more  than  simply  advancing  its 
material  interests,  but  tenderly  loving  it  and  making  for  it  a  true  home. 

I  think  we  ought  to  remember  in  our  estimate  of  homes,  that  all  ( 
children  are  not  made  lovable,  and  teachable,  and  desirable  simply  by 
being  dependent,  and  children  with  inherited  tendencies  to  low  and  crim¬ 
inal  lives,  with  an  early  training  in  the  midst  of  vile  compahions  are 
quite  likely  to  have  formed  habits  and  acquired  manners  neither  pleas¬ 
ing  nor  desirable.  Such  children  are  not  likely  to  prove  worthy  of  the 
best  homes.  But  shall  they  in  medium  homes,  with  kind  treatment,  be 
taught  to  earn  an  honest  living  and  to  be  self-supporting  citizens,  our 
work  will  have  been  well  done. 

It  seems  noble  and  humane  that  the  State  should  build  strong  and 
high  walls  about  its  prisons,  and  within  demand  the  kindest  touches  of 
humanity;  that  the  penal  institutions  for  the  reformation  of  juvenile 
!  offenders  should  receive  liberal  appropriations,  and  be  managed  upon 
the  wisest  plan  possible,  to  turn  in  right  channels  those  who  are  now 
headed  in  the  wrong  way,  and,  so  far  as  possible,  to  remove  all  stains 
which  crime  creates;  but  more  noble,  more  humane,  to  take  the  house¬ 
less,  homeless  little  ones,  unclothed,  unfed,  unloved,  tempted  upon 
every  hand  to  what  is  low,  vile  and  degrading,  yet  with  hearts  as  pure 

Ias  we  hope  are  those  of  our  own  little  ones,  and  lift  them  from  the  dan¬ 
gerous  ground  on  which  they  tread,  to  give  them  food  and  clothes  and 


hearts  and  keeps  them  irom  the  need  of  prison  walls  and  penal  homes. 

Some  will  fall  by  the  wayside,  notwithstanding  home,  and  food, 
and  love;  but  so  ’tis  ever — the  plant  we  move  from  native  soil  to  a  dif¬ 
ferent  clime,  withers  and  droops  upon  the  way,  but  careful  watering, 
watching,  fertilizing  and  pruning,  gives  strength  to  root  and  branch, 
and  ere  long  it  yields  to  treatment,  and  becoming  accustomed  to  its 
new  location,  grows  strong  and  gives  beautiful  blossoms  to  repay  our 
care;  not  the  same,  perhaps,  as  though  trained  in  its  natural  soil,  but 
still  we  find  a  special  pleasure  in  its  beauty,  because  we  knew  its  strug¬ 
gle  for  existence.  So  if  we  save  the  mass  of  little  ones,  and  have  them 
free  from  taint  of  crime,  we  feel  we  work  in  the  way  to  well-please  Him 
who  said,  “  Of  such  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.” 


